Legally Brunette
by Yong-Mi
Summary: Brunette girls are certainly the new fashion to kill. A serial killer is on the loose murdering these girls for an unknown reason! Emily and Tala are on the case as amateur crime scene investigators. Why brunette girls? 75 percent AU. Complete summary ins


Hi! I'm with a new fic! I hope it's WAY better than the last one. Makoto Kino, Satsuki Kusakabe. Mononoke-Hime, Sakura Kinomoto, Sango and Kasumi Tendo are not mine but in this fic, they are all dead brunette girls.

Edit: Emmie-chan.

SUMMARY: Brunette girls are certainly the new fashion to kill. A serial killer is out on loose murdering girls, specifically famous, brunette women! Emily and Tala, both amateur investigators in training, are on the case and a fed agent/college student/over-achiever had been brought into the case… Read as the past to seem to replay itself all over again between the pop-star and the fed agent. Who could be the psychotic serial killer? This is 75 percent AU and rated M for gruesome scenes of blood, swearing and physical abuse. I'm not sure about lemon...

Disclaimer: I own the mystery and the plot but no, I don't own the show or the girls mentioned above. Or the song Hil happened to sing in Japanese!

**Legally Brunette**

Chapter 1: A Perfect Crime

By: The one and only!

--- 

_He abandoned me and he never told me why. _

* * *

The clock tower seemed to have mounted as she peered up—8:30 P.M.—sitting on the edge of the seat, she fidgeted nervously. Anxious, she glanced at the twenty year-old man next to her, in his usual blue polo shirt tucked into his pants, similar to ones the SWAT team wore. He kept an emotionless glare at the road. Peering, she looked at her pleated navy blue skirt, the white polo shirt tucked into her skirt and white blazer.

Sirens blared as the sleek black car pulled to a stop, in front of a dark, abandoned church. The car engine was turned briskly off as the passenger door opened and an orange-haired girl stepped out, her blue eyes had fear written all over them as she quickly glanced up the night sky and the full moon. Tonight was her first call and possibly her investigation…both hers and her partner's, as they worked as amateur investigators. An abandoned church and the nightly darkness never did blend well in this particular night. Shivering, her partner emerged from the car and kept a stoic gaze at the church. His icy blue eyes seemed to blaze as he dazed at the moonlight like a stunned wolf.

From what she could see, the church's windows were stained glass with elaborate pictures of the Christ and patches of flaking paint appeared on the walls. Definitely, the church had seen better days. It sat in the midst of what had once been a busy main street: tree-lined sidewalks and old apartment buildings and other stores. The trees had now succumbed to age and disease while the buildings had either died or were looking poorly. The apartment buildings were still boarded up and others were turned into temporary residences with sheets draped over the inside of the glass and withering plants languishing on windowsills. A lot of lost-looking souls walked the streets: people lost in their private worlds, broken worlds…too lonely to even greet one another. They didn't even care about the police in the scene.

Digging her hands deep in her lab coat pockets, she sighed. The old Canterbury Psychiatric Hospital that stood nearby, adding to the paranoia that seemed to gravitate over everyone in the neighbourhood. Suddenly, her partner stepped in front of her on the cracked sidewalk. Emily could feel herself leap back from him.

"They said they found her next to one of these buildings," he said, trudging off to the true cause they arrived here in the first place. Nodding, she trailed after him as they both came across a horrible stench. The redhead sniffed loudly and informed her that it was the smell of blood and rotting flesh. She clasped her hand over her mouth and nose at the smell, being a crime scene investigator was difficult. The disgusting smell and the blood scared the daylights out of her. He followed the scent and met face to face with a dark alley ahead.

"Do you see anything? Like a clue of some sort?" he asked, scanning in the dark.

Emily looked down and noticed a pool of crimson blood near his left foot. "The body is here alright," she concluded, pointing at the tarn of red liquid.

"Stay behind me, Emily," he warned, patting his gun that was nestled on his side. With his free hand, he revealed a small flashlight from his pant pocket of his police uniform. He shone its light at what was ahead. A body, he thought. He was the least surprised between the two.

"Tala…is that?" she gasped, closing her eyes.

Stoic, he nodded, "Another dead girl." A corpse sprawled senselessly on the pavement in a strange position that indicated the killer had dumped her in a hurry. His icy stare held the corpse as he ran towards it, hoping that she was still alive. He placed his two fingers on her neck and felt no pulse: she was dead. He felt himself fall apart as another cold case added to his files. Damn it, he cursed bitterly. There goes another victim, another life saved too late. Shaken, Emily knelt next to her and spoke gravely,

"It's the fifth girl found dead these past one and a half months."

"He doesn't stop," Tala grunted and handed her the flashlight. His hand disappeared once again and revealed a pair of latex gloves. He slipped them on and stared at Emily who scanned the corpse's bruised legs. Blood covered her entire head as a pool of more crimson liquid formed underneath her. Tala reached for her head and craned it to the side. Emily screeched as her face grew ghostly pale. Her face had been sliced out and her eyes were gone with it! Her pearly white cheek bones and teeth were visible. The pink muscles jutted out, soaked in more of the reeking blood and the blue veins were darker which distinctly proved she had died for quite a while.

Tala ran his hand through her chocolates waves of hair, "No Emily, this is the fifth brunette."

Fearful, she started to weep. "Call Michael," Tala said solemnly at her. "He can pick you up."

"What about you?" she asked, wiping her eyes beneath her huge glasses.

"I'll call emergency and the others," Tala replied, checking her neck from any marks.

"I can't leave. I have to know who did this to her," she said, clearing her throat. She lifted up her gaze at him. "Who knows, maybe we'll find him."

Tala fleeted a confused look and shrugged, "Suit yourself." He picked the dead girl's purse up and took her wallet out for identification. With her face gone, only her hair can make her…her for certain. From a small slot of cards, he pulled out an ID stating her name. Makoto Kino was her name, a tall brunette maiden with warm green eyes who was a pro-figure skater. Five foot seven and her blood type is O. She appeared to be a real female Hercules…but how could she not have defended herself against the killer? Tala cocked his head at the corpse. The corpse and Makoto was an exact match with the description: tall, slender and was once beautiful.

"Looks like the killer knew who he was after," the redhead muttered.

"He always does," Emily sighed, scanning the corpse's legs covered in numerous scratches. "Although it bugs me, this place has people in it yet only one person in this whole neighbourhood reported to the police." She took out a sleek camera from her pocket and began taking photographs.

Tala scoffed and replied, growing unsure of his own words, "It wasn't."

"But the phone call—"

"Don't you think that the whole neighbourhood would know about this by now?" Tala asked, placing the cell phone against his ear, calling for a back up.

Emily looked back at the lot of lost-looking souls walking in the streets. "People are lost in their own worlds. They didn't even bother being curious about us coming here…"

"…therefore letting the real killer slipped that easily. A perfect opportunity for the perfect crime, the killer had been clever choosing this location to dump the girl," Tala concluded returning his attention back to the dispatcher, "Uh yeah, 5th and Kunesaki…yes, it's another one…there were the usual signs so it's the same murderer…"

Sadly she had to agree with the redhead, the killer had outdone himself yet again. Deep inside, she felt obliged to find him.

* * *

_wakateiru…_

A brunette about nineteen stood on stage, sitting on the spotlight in the night of her Chicago concert for American-Japanese fans. She sung her little heart to a huge crowd in the stadium, in her beyblading costume. But this time…it was all for real.

_  
ittoshiku fukeku dakishimete  
sou me kaete ageru  
utsukushiku seku fara na yo ni  
naka naki mono BELIEVE IN DESIRE_

The crowd's eyes welled up in tears as she sang her final song for tonight's concert. Her ruby eyes dazzled as she sang on her mike, her voice illuminating each word of wanting desire. She herself felt tears as she sang. Just a few more verses and it'll be over, she thought. Flashing her 10 million megawatt smile, tears freely fell on her cheeks.

It seemed like it all happened yesterday…

It was a night like this, standing in front of the human ice block, in the middle of the street. She had chased him after she got the news he was leaving that night. He was on his way home to get all his baggage and rush to the airport when he heard her cry.

"_Don't leave! Stay, here. Please! You don't have to try so hard anymore…you've proven to everyone you're strong enough!" _

_He kept walking, not one bit touched to her words and dug one hand deep in his pocket. He couldn't believe that he had resorted to this. "I'm not strong enough to beat him or other future beybladers. If I do keep on living here, I'll never get what I want. I'll be weak and pathetic…like you," he said. He could feel her tears and hear her whimpering as she fell upon her knees, crying. Stoic, he turned to her with a cold stare, "Go home." He returned his gaze to the road. _

"_I…I won't!" she cried in protest. "Don't do this yourself…don't change, please!" _

"_Shut up!" he snarled, spinning his head at her. _

"_I like you just the way you are!" Kai hn-ed and treaded to her with a clear look of anger in his eyes. "I don't care about the sport!" _

"_I can never like you," he sounded convincing, but felt regret. He liked her. But how was he going to kick Tyson's ass with Hilary in the way? What about Hilary's dream of becoming one of them? What about that son-of-a-bitch Brooklyn...getting back at him for giving him permanent scars? Plus, Hilary never admitted anything about her feelings and now that she had, just made him leave the team (forever) harder. _

_Popping the blue tiny pill he had concealed in the palm in his hand, he knelt down on one knee in front of her. Carefully, he tilted her chin to meet eyes with her. With her teary eyes, she gave him a puzzled look. _

"_Don't expect me to know you the next time…" he whispered in her ear. His words stung as he spoke, his warm breath tickling her ear. Trailing his hand on her lips, he frowned. Then he brought his hand up to her hair. What did it mean, next time? With him feeling her brown locks, she whispered in a quivering voice,_

"_What…Why—" _

_Her sentence was cut off as she felt his rough lips smack against her with force. His arms snaked around her waist. His sharp taste, she could feel herself weaken thinking was this…his goodbye? She gave a low moan as he forcibly strained to put something down her throat. Her eyes fluttered close as she gave in. The pea-sized tablet went down to her throat like candy, smooth as silk, dissolving inside her. Just in mere two minutes, she felt a jolt and her whole legs were destabilized and she felt dreadfully drowsy. Breaking away, slowly, he lingered away from her. The capsule did this to her but it was useless to struggle for a sudden blackness came over her mind and engulfed her into a deep sleep. _

"…_I…" _

_A final tear slid down her purely white cheek as he carried her back to the dojo. _

_ima sugu hayaku daki o sake  
aba tame de ageru  
itsuwaru no mi ni yuu yane zutto  
dashi kara mo no BELIEVE IN DESIRE_

The girls in the front row, noticing her weeping, gave the pop star a sympathetic look. This particular song was a sad one and always brought tears to any girl's eyes. 'Believe in his desire…to win,' she thought as the bridge of the song began. 'This is for you, wherever you are.'

_seta ya kukoe to tewo ka sare  
ana nara na tsuita  
yuri toru futari wa yo wakawe  
ri fuun meiru wa…  
_

Hilary held out her small mike out to the fans who sang the whole verse. Quickly, she rubbed her tears away with the back of her gloved hand and despairingly peeked at backstage, hoping he'd be standing there. Letting out a sigh, Hilary knew that as usual, no soul stood near the curtains cheering her on. 'Stop wishing,' she scolded herself. Her manager and personal assistant would be in the wings doing the technicalities with Kenny, or were caught with Mariah's latest gossip, since the Chinese gal worked with the Tabloids.

_  
ittoshiku tsuyoku dakishimete  
sou me kaete ageru  
hageshike da kaku mou e ageru  
koi koto no yo… _

"Believe in desire…" she chanted closing her eyes.

The music paused for a split second and concluded as the crowd roared. She snatched the necklace around her neck and flung it at a random part of the screeching crowd. Smiling, she waved her hand goodbye as the people encored as the dying crescendo of applause no where in sight, yet.

Giving her final butterfly kiss, she trotted off the platform. Her body froze as the ovation continued. Suddenly a girl appeared with brown braids and fierce blue eyes, her assistant, Misao with a worried frown written all over her lips.

"Hi, Mis-"

"-Go!" she growled pushing Hilary up the stairway. Her brown braids flew up as she shoved the brunette. She abruptly stopped in her tracks and turned at Misao with an angry stare, "Can't I say 'hi' anymore?" Man, this pop star thing was hard considering this was her first year. Huffing she crossed her arms like a little kid, an appalled pout all visible over her face.

Misao's eyebrows furrowed, giving Hilary one of her warning glances, "Talk to the manager."

"Where is he?" she snarled, peering beyond Misao for her manager.

Misao bit her lip and glanced up the ceiling, "He wasn't here tonight. He said he was off to New York for your upcoming photo shoot to get it all set." 'The photo shoot isn't until next week,' she frowned, turning her heel then taking another step up. Reluctant, she stomped another step and made Misao smile. Then, she trotted back to the stage and bowed as the people applauded endlessly.

--(while Hilary was still singing)--

He threw another crumbled piece of paper to the side after he jotted down the first two sentences of his 5000 word essay on 'People Desire Today.' It was a pretty dumb essay but he had to do whatever it took to graduate one year earlier from the bloody college. So far, it had been hell thinking of a great, captivating thesis to start his long, boring essay.

The television was droning in the background and set to the channel Tala had left. Some songstress was singing on her second concert, as he remembered the announcements airing two hours before.

"Today, people desire upon becoming the best on their abilities…" he bit his tongue as he tried to press onto his brain for words to write down. Up to now, still nothing conjured up his mind, "…beyblading? Acting maybe?"

"—Ittoshiku fukeku dakishimete—"

His teeth gritted as he strained to spit out words onto the lined piece of paper, "No…that's not it." He crushed the paper into a ball and chucked it at his bedroom door, growling in frustration. The paper was due in two days and he had spent all last week training! Five years he spent his life, nothing but training and studying, isolated from the real world.

"—Sou me kaete ageru—"

"Screw it!" he cursed, crumbling another paper. Flinging it to a random place, he glanced at the television, curious of the owner of the voice.

"—Utsukushiku seku fara na yo ni  
Naka naki mono BELIEVE IN DESIRE…"

He blinked a couple of times, trying to register why the brunette appeared so familiar. Where had he seen her? Brown hair and ruby eyes? Sighing, exasperate of the fact he was doomed, he ran his hand through his silver grey hair, looking down at his empty, clean piece of paper, the pile of eraser dust and his lead pencil. Along with other broken wooden pencils and bits of refill lead that were scattered all over his desk…

Snapping from his thoughts of the brunette…

"I GIVE UP!" he groaned, hurling his papers, pencils and erasers off his desk with his arm. He furiously hit the power button on the remote control he found on his bed. Despite the weird, annoying but familiar girl, he had a paper to finish in two days. This was more important than a pop songstress singing some crappy song about believing in people's desire as the only to spread hope…

He shrugged, scoffing in ridicule.

Dense than ever, he plopped down his chair and returned to his work with an angry look. He had to finish this, unaware he was humming her song.

* * *

How was that chapter? Should I continue the story or kill it? The song is Desire by Do as Infinity since a video (Kai's Desire on by Chowy inspired me to write a sort song ficcy/story! SHOUT OUT FOR HER: Thank you for inspiration! Please remember that I don't own the show or song or the anime music video ! Kindly, please do review and thank you for reading! Flames are not welcome but constructive criticism would do me good! 


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